House Hunters - General Discussion

[StatisticalOutlier]

23 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I can't imagine trying to sell that, with the total lack of anything resembling a view, or neighborhood about it.  

Well, their seller sold it.  I assume whatever negative features a house has is baked into the price.  In fact, didn't the HH say they were able to pay a lower price because of the power plant?  Seems unlikely that that particular quirk wasn't accounted for in setting the price it was offered at, and then negotiated as usual.

I'm sure that some houses, like this one, will have issues that limit the potential pool of buyers, but really, all houses do.  I'm guessing that if a house has something about it that appeals to a smaller pool of people, it will be priced lower, like on a dollar-per-square-foot basis, than houses that appeal to more people.  That diminution in value doesn't suddenly appear once someone decides to sell; they paid a lower price when they bought it but never seem to take that into account.

Quote

So, an apartment measuring 700 square feet could be described as a 700 square-foot apartment.

From what posters have said, the HHs would likely say "foot" instead of "feet" in that sentence.  Or, in the example I came up with, "This house is 1200 square foot." 

I do know it's an adjective in "700-square-foot apartment," and agree that it should be singular.  But I don't know enough about parts of speech to know whether the other times are adjectives or what, but they definitely sound terrible with "foot."

Edited June 28, 2022 by StatisticalOutlier

[Mrs Huffnagle]

11 hours ago, BAForever said:

Been on vaca,  so missed the Nashville epi, but read this forum on ride home and since I've finished  laundry and grocery shopping I rewarded myself and sat down to watch. Dimitri is a bougie hipster douche. If I were looking to purchase,  I would have driven right by that place. 

What a great description.  I'm really hoping the producers had him exaggerate his BS; I'd hate to live with someone like that.  I hope he grows up a bit before they have any kids.

[laredhead]

Mrs Huffnagle, the Nashville couple already have a child, a newborn.  The introductory scene showed them with the baby and her mother.  I guess the mother was keeping the baby for them during the rest of the filming of the episode.  

[edie3]

Just looked at Google maps.  Dimitri got what he deserved!

[deirdra]

Looking at Google Maps satellite view it appears that the "playground" and the property south of it have drainage ditches next to 63rd Ave.  I wonder how often Richland Creek overflows and if the cheap house ever flooded

[rhofmovalley]

Jillian Barberie! I remember when she was just starting out as a local L.A. reporter and she was Jillian Warry.

Cancer survivor. Very admirable.

[ByaNose]

I totally didn’t recognize Jillian Barberie. I remember her on NFL Sunday when she’d do the weather for the games and other tv appearances. Her kids seemed like nice kids. I liked her open concept house but would have held out for a four bedroom with the million or so I don’t have. I forget where in California she bought the house but it’s nice to know you could get a decent looking house for what she paid. I thought everything was 3 or 4 million dollars. It looked like a regular neighborhood which might be why her kids didn’t seem to bratty. 

[amarante]

Jillian bought in Calabasas which is a long commute if you work in Los Angeles. 

There are some very expensive areas which attract celebrities like the Kardashians but the area also has more modest or relatively modest homes like this one. 

Location is really everything as the same house would be significantly more expensive in a location that was closer to Los Angeles. 

ETA At least the agent was more or less realistic about the cost of updating the second house. It would be AT LEAST $150,000 if not more plus the cost of renting a home and the carrying costs during renovation. Not to mention that any good GC is booked in Los Angeles (and many other places) so you wouldn't be able to start for at least six months anyway. The $150,000 figure was probably based on the agent's cost to do the flip which was lower than it would cost a "civilian" since she and her husband were probably doing in regularly and were getting better pricing for both labor and materials.

As I recall there was another episode in which a Calabasas home was shown and that episode was pretty crazy because the HH were looking for property with close proximity to the beach but were actually looking at properties in the Valley which no one considers as being close to the beach. The realtor was claiming you could be at the beach in 20 minutes which could only occur at 3 AM with no traffic and if you were reasonably proximate to one of the main North South routes that would take you over the Santa Monica mountains.
 

Edited June 29, 2022 by amarante

[CrazyInAlabama]

On 6/28/2022 at 1:02 PM, deirdra said:

Looking at Google Maps satellite view it appears that the "playground" and the property south of it have drainage ditches next to 63rd Ave.  I wonder how often Richland Creek overflows and if the cheap house ever flooded

Some of the realtor dot com maps have a little icon for 'flood', and that area can have 2 to 3 feet in floods.   I suspected that from the proximity to the river, and the big drainage ditches on that 'park' across the street, that was nothing but a flat grass field.    I think that's a reason the rebuilt houses were quite a few feet above the ground.  

Actually, the area the realtor pointed to isn't a park.    As I recall the actual park with facilities is a couple of blocks away.

Edited July 1, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[Hedgehog2022]

I remember Jillian Barberie from her many appearances on the Howard Stern Show back in the day. I did like the way she included her kids in the house hunting...they were pretty chill kids for being the children of two celebrities. 

I just can't get over what rip off the LA house market is...a million plus for homes that need gut reno jobs or are small with small yards. She made the right decision given that the daughter will probably be out of the house and off to college in a few years. She got a nice house though it was smaller than the others but easier to maintain in the long run.

[Crashcourse]

Jillian in Calabasas:  I thought all the houses were just ok, nothing outstanding about any of them.  However, I thought the pool in the house she chose was just hideous.  I can't imagine being barefoot around that pool and climbing over all those rocks.   

[amarante]

1 hour ago, Hedgehog2022 said:

I just can't get over what rip off the LA house market is...a million plus for homes that need gut reno jobs or are small with small yards. She made the right decision given that the daughter will probably be out of the house and off to college in a few years. She got a nice house though it was smaller than the others but easier to maintain in the long run.

Location determines the FMV of a house and unless a buyer has been actively deceived, a home price isn't a "rip off". 

That location got her more house for $1.5 million than a more centrally located location that would be more desirable. There are many areas which have very high housing prices - San Francisco, New York. D.C. and even Boston

[Hedgehog2022]

11 minutes ago, amarante said:

Location determines the FMV of a house and unless a buyer has been actively deceived, a home price isn't a "rip off". 

That location got her more house for $1.5 million than a more centrally located location that would be more desirable. There are many areas which have very high housing prices - San Francisco, New York. D.C. and even Boston

I live in the DC area and it depends where you looking...closer to DC will be costly. Further out in Fairfax County, Prince William County or Loudon County will be more reasonable with more land and neighborhoods with schools and county parks nearby. Sorry...I think LA is way overpriced especially for young couples looking to buy their first home. Just my opinion.

[rhofmovalley]

There are plenty of areas in the L.A. metro that are well below a million dollars. The city I live in has homes ranging from the $400,000s for a two bedroom condo and half a million for a single family 2/2 up to however much you want to spend. And I live literally across the street from the beach. Areas in South LA and Hawthorne will be a bit less. You can count on needing about $600,000 for a standard 3/2 in a lot of areas.

But I doubt Jillian Barberie would be interested in a 3/2 in Hawthorne lol.

I liked her and her kids. They seemed pretty down to earth and kidded with their mom but not in a disrespectful way IMO.

[amarante]

Los Angeles is an expensive housing market just as others are but a housing market by definition can’t be “overpriced” because for the most part a price will be determined by the market place - what a seller and buyer come to terms on. The desirable areas in Los Angeles and other areas didn’t lose value even in the bust. At worse they didn’t increase in value for awhile.

Obviously location determines fair market value. Arlington will be more expensive than areas further out just as is true of any metropolitan area in terms of closer in desirable suburbs being pricier than ones with a leg commute where land values are less expensive. 

If one wants to live somewhere in the greater Los Angeles area, there are certainly places where one can find relatively inexpensive homes just as one can find a relatively inexpensive home in the far reaches of the Bronx. 

[BAForever]

Enjoyed Jillian and her kids. So why don't the kids' dad(s) pay child support? Was dozing, so not sure if kids have same father. 

ETA- have fam in Manhattan Beach. Their 3/2 cute bungalow is 4 blocks from beach. Bought it 10 years ago for $1.2 million. Zestimate now over $2 million. Crazy.

Edited June 29, 2022 by BAForever

[LittleIggy]

29 minutes ago, BAForever said:

So why don't the kids' dad(s) pay child support?

Wondered about that too.

[amarante]

I didn't necessarily take her statement as literally meaning she got no child support.

She was making a high income when she was divorced presumably and so perhaps neither spouse paid child support - that is not uncommon custody. Or her income was so much higher that the amount the father paid or paid is minimal.

Also it might not have been literal in terms of not getting child support but just a vague statement that she is supporting a relatively high standard of living and probably didn't receive spousal support as that is not commonly awarded in California if spouses are both working. 

I am not familiar with her at all but I am assuming she once had a more successful high paying job which is why she is now downsizing and presumably using the equity in her old home which must be considerable since she said she bought about 20 years ago. 

I can't imagine podcasts make that much money. I realize there are some very lucrative podcasters but I doubt she is in that category. 

[mojito]

On 6/26/2022 at 3:50 PM, Empress1 said:

If you had a regular party you’d just say you had a party or “had people over.”

Just after the earth cooled, we used to "have company".

[Grizzly]

Newark, NJ. Good lord, a rose gold claw foot tub? How did she even dream up something like that? Princesse was aptly named. How fortunate she likes gray/white and wants new/updated. These properties are nice. I just don't like the idea of being a landlord. Why spend more in hopes of getting more when you can buy a single house and have money left over to update and build equity? She had an island made in the kitchen before buying a refrigerator?

[Thumper]

I don’t understand the appeal of a claw-foot tub, especially if you try to put a shower with it.  They seem to have a shower curtain all around them which would make me feel claustrophobic.

Was this the house with the construction next door that she was complaining about?

She seemed demanding to me, but at the end I could sense her happiness and pride in purchasing.  I was happy for her.

[BAForever]

Had to turn down my volume, those two women were loud! The 3 units they looked at were almost interchangeable, white, gray and sterile. I kept thinking, "Great,  another social media influencer" but I didn't dislike her. Both women dressed well too. 

[Grizzly]

Reno, NV. I like them. Props to any couple who can live in a studio. House #3 looks to be the only decent one. Wonder if the location will be the deal breaker. Must have been, they went for the crappy roof.

[StatisticalOutlier]

5 hours ago, BAForever said:

ETA- have fam in Manhattan Beach. Their 3/2 cute bungalow is 4 blocks from beach. Bought it 10 years ago for $1.2 million. Zestimate now over $2 million. Crazy.

I wonder why it's appreciating so slowly.  😀

I have a friend in Austin whose house was appraised by the county for property tax purposes at $509,900 in 2020, $690,400 in 2021, and now $1,103,158 in 2022. 

The 1-bedroom 1-bath condo I sold about 20 years ago was appraised at $166,754 in 2020, $183,013 in 2021, and now $243,079 in 2022.

It's getting to where watching HH episodes in southern California is helping convince me that not every place is insane. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

23 hours ago, Grizzly said:

She had an island made in the kitchen before buying a refrigerator?

With supply chain issues, if you get picky about what exact model you want, it might be a long time from the time you order a fridge, and receive it.   

The rental empire may be a good idea for Princesse (I heard the name, thought I wasn't hearing it correctly, but my closed captions confirmed it), since she is living rent free because of the tenants.    She'll just have to screen very carefully, not give breaks to anyone, and enforce the rules.   You start making exceptions, and you'll get walked all over.   

I also wonder where her tenants will park?     Do you have to get a long term parking rental in a lot?  Or street park, or what.   I think the one Princesse bought was the right choice for her.   

However, if she eventually will move to something like the second property with only 2 apartments, and live in one, that would be the one to put her tub into.    I'm sure she could rent out the third floor for a pretty penny on the one she bought, and off set the mortgage on a second property that isn't a three flat.    I wouldn't want to haul everything up to the third floor.  

I hope to never see a rose gold claw foot tub.   The closest I could find was a free standing one at Lowes for just under $3,000.   The pink ones with gold feet are over twice that price.    I hoping that was just a ridiculous story line.  

However, I couldn't be a landlord.    I just saw that California upheld having to pay tenants to leave during a legal eviction.    I know this episode was in New Jersey, but I find the idea of paying tenants to leave ridiculous.    There are other places that are working on eviction rules that say non-payment is not a legal reason to evict.  Some states are so tenant friendly, and so hostile to landlords that paying people to leave, after giving them free rent for months is the cheaper option. 

Edited July 1, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[cameron]

On 6/29/2022 at 10:32 PM, Grizzly said:

Newark, NJ. Good lord, a rose gold claw foot tub? How did she even dream up something like that? Princesse was aptly named. How fortunate she likes gray/white and wants new/updated. These properties are nice. I just don't like the idea of being a landlord. Why spend more in hopes of getting more when you can buy a single house and have money left over to update and build equity? She had an island made in the kitchen before buying a refrigerator?

Why was she and her mother even living in public housing since she was looking to spend $750k plus for a place.  And don't even get me started on those stupid name choices.

Just read that the area she and mother live in (Brownsville) area of Brooklyn has one of the highest crime and poverty rates in the state of New York.  If she has such a great job and thinks herself a social influencer; why wouldn't she have moved her Mother and herself out of that area before now. Sounds a little phony to me.

Edited July 1, 2022 by cameron

[amarante]

Claw foot tubs - or more broadly - free standing tubs have become a style trend and are utterly ridiculous. Freestanding tubs look beautiful in a large bathroom in which they have space all around and are a sculptural element in a room. Also when the "trend" started they were installed in the homes of rich people who have housekeepers who clean around them.

Then the style trickled down to the middle class with normal or small bathrooms which are ridiculous for a free standing tub of any style because there is no "space" around them so they look ridiculous and are almost impossible to clean around.

Kohler introduced the "modern" drop in built in style bath tub in the 1920's precisely because it was considered to be more sanitary than the clawfoot tubs because it was easy to keep clean.

I had a claw foot tub in college and it was hard to clean and really terrible to use as a tub/shower.

Princesse was ridiculous - I have never seen a rose gold tub - there are some copper freestanding tubs which people buy for the style but not rose gold.

 But she was an idiot as those trendy white/gray kitchens that she wanted were built very cheaply and weren't very functional - very little storage and the cabinets were not more expensive drawers but less functional doors.

I think she is not factoring in the difficulty and potential expense of being a landlord - you don't just sit back and collect your money. You have to deal with maintenance and potentially not having rent every month. However, even in a tenant friendly place like New Jersey the more onerous aspects of rent control don't generally apply to owner occupied multi-family homes with three or fewer units because the "small" landlord is treated differently than a large scale landlord.

Also - to some extent - it also is viewed as a way of encouraging building housing where it is needed. In this episode, there are probably incentives for developers to build two and three family homes to encourage gentrification. Newark was ravaged by a riot in 1967 and is only now apparently being developed. The other areas close to it like South, East and West Orange are on the same train route and so people didn't move back into Newark nor was Newark gentrified a decade ago like Hoboken and the area directly across the river from Manhattan.

Princesse grew up in public housing because her mother qualified years ago based on low income and the mother is still probably low income although my understanding is that they don't kick you out even if your income rises. As a child of a legal resident Princesse would be allowed to legally stay if she wanted although probably would not be able to assume the lease in her own name with a higher income. 

And what a name - to saddle a kid with that name and have to use it on resumes or be introduced in professional settings. It is bad enough when a celebrity like Michael Jackson or the Kardashians use ridiculous names like Prince or Saint but at least those kids are never going to send out a resume for a job in a profession where your credibility is being judged.

[laredhead]

Amarante, thanks for the vintage ad for Kohler.  That is a lovely deep tub shown in the ad picture.  I totally agree about not wanting a claw foot tub.  Cleaning around them is difficult, if they are placed too close to a wall.  Also, I had personal experience with one when I visited a friend who had one on the guest bathroom.  It had a shower, and the 2 curtains were hung on an oval rod above the tub.  It took 2 curtains to encircle the tub, and they were a pain to keep closed to contain the water, and they were also confining leaving little room to turn around in the tub.  It was a less than satisfying bathing experience.  Maybe claw foot tubs are for soaking only, but at 74 getting in and out of them also becomes a chore.  I would rather have a large walk in shower with a ledge for seating now.             

[amarante]

14 minutes ago, laredhead said:

Amarante, thanks for the vintage ad for Kohler.  That is a lovely deep tub shown in the ad picture.  I totally agree about not wanting a claw foot tub.  Cleaning around them is difficult, if they are placed too close to a wall.  Also, I had personal experience with one when I visited a friend who had one on the guest bathroom.  It had a shower, and the 2 curtains were hung on an oval rod above the tub.  It took 2 curtains to encircle the tub, and they were a pain to keep closed to contain the water, and they were also confining leaving little room to turn around in the tub.  It was a less than satisfying bathing experience.  Maybe claw foot tubs are for soaking only, but at 74 getting in and out of them also becomes a chore.  I would rather have a large walk in shower with a ledge for seating now.             

Yes - you have outlined all of the non-functional aspects of a clawfoot or freestanding tub especially when used as a shower. In college we had the same circular "shower" set up and water would get all over and it was a very tiny shower to actually in when the plastic curtains surrounded you.

They are also extremely difficult to maneuver in and out of if you have any kind of mobility or balance issues or even if you don't and step out onto a slightly damp floor. They are actually higher than regular tubs and so you have to lift your foot up high and then the drop to the bathroom floor is much more precipitous.

But they have become "trendy" for those who value form over function and don't think through what it would be like to actually use them and clean around them. 

I don't even like tub showers and when I remodeled removed my standard tub/shower combination for a walk in shower that follows the foot print of the tub and has a comfortable wide bench at one end and grab bars for safety. It is also beautifully tiled and much more elegant and prettier than any tub would be.

[proserpina65]

12 hours ago, Thumper said:

I don’t understand the appeal of a claw-foot tub, especially if you try to put a shower with it.

I love clawfoot tubs because they tend to allow enough room to stretch out and the shape is less awkward for sitting than something with a more modern shape.  Plus, I can get the water deeper than with a more modern tub because of the overflow drain.  As others have pointed out, however, they don't work all that well for showers and they can be hard to get into/out of even if you don't have balance or mobility issues.  (I seem to remember there being a little step stool for just that purpose in my parents' bathroom when I was a kid, but I could be imagining that.)

Either way, a rose gold clawfoot tub is just tacky as hell, though.

43 minutes ago, amarante said:

But they have become "trendy" for those who value form over function and don't think through what it would be like to actually use them and clean around them. 

I find them easier for soaking in the tub than tub/shower combinations which tend to be lower, not hold enough water and have an uncomfortable squarish edge where my head needs to rest.  (Cleaning, well, bathroom cleaning sucks no matter what kind of tub you have, imo, but proximity to the walls definitely is a problem.) If I had the space, I'd have one with a separate shower stall.  I'd never want to not have a tub at all unless I was living abroad someplace where they aren't common.  To each their own.

[Crashcourse]

1 hour ago, amarante said:

And what a name - to saddle a kid with that name and have to use it on resumes or be introduced in professional settings. It is bad enough when a celebrity like Michael Jackson or the Kardashians use ridiculous names like Prince or Saint but at least those kids are never going to send out a resume for a job in a profession where your credibility is being judged.

I agree, it's a shame.  There was a HH a while back whose name was La Peachez (I think that was the spelling).  I posted that I would have changed my name as soon as I was able to do so.  So, if you put a gun to my head and told me I had to choose between La Peachez and Princesse, I'd choose the latter.  LOL

[CruiseDiva]

2 hours ago, amarante said:

I don't even like tub showers and when I remodeled removed my standard tub/shower combination for a walk in shower that follows the foot print of the tub and has a comfortable wide bench at one end and grab bars for safety. It is also beautifully tiled and much more elegant and prettier than any tub would be.

My 1987 built home came with a "garden" tub that we never used and a smallish walk-in shower. When I remodeled I removed the tub and put a large shower with a bench and grab bars in its place. I had a large linen closet built into the space where the old shower was. 

[MooCat Pretzel]

Newark, NJ:  Her name is Princesse.  Strike One.  She is a “Part-Time Influencer”.  Strike Two.  Talk of “generational wealth”.  Strike three.  Didn’t watch it through.  Thanks for the recap with your comments!

Edited June 30, 2022 by MooCat Pretzel

[amarante]

13 minutes ago, MooCat Pretzel said:

Newark, NJ:  Her name is Princesse.  Strike One.  She is a “Part-Time Influencer”.  Strike Two.  Talk of “generational wealth”.  Strike three.  Didn’t watch it through.  Thanks for the recap with your comments.  I think I made the right choice.

I don't understand how the term "generational wealth" became trendy.

My parents were fairly frugal and saved for retirement. They lived in their relatively modest starter home until they retired to a condo in Laguna. They drove Honda Accords or the equivalent but paid cash for cars. They did have enough money  to enable my brother and I to go through grad school without student loans (albeit at relatively inexpensive state universities) and helped with a portion of the down payments for our first homes.

I never heard them speak of "generational wealth" as their primary goal was being able to retire comfortably and not be a burden on their kids.

Ironically they did retire with a relatively large estate but I think it was a shock to them as they never thought they would accumulate "wealth" nor was it a specific goal. I remember my father being amazed when he was looking at his brokerage account and I happened to be there. I never knew exactly how much they had until I became a Trustee of the Intervivos Trust after my mother died and was very thankful that they had accumulated enough in assets so that he could afford a very comfortable life even after he wasn't able to be fully independent - he died at 99 with no financial worries.

[proserpina65]

45 minutes ago, CruiseDiva said:

My 1987 built home came with a "garden" tub that we never used and a smallish walk-in shower. When I remodeled I removed the tub and put a large shower with a bench and grab bars in its place. I had a large linen closet built into the space where the old shower was. 

Garden tubs are the evil spawn that you get when you cross a modern tub with something old-fashioned, taking the worst features from each.  I do not blame you for getting rid of it.

[Thumper]

36 minutes ago, amarante said:

I don't understand how the term "generational wealth" became trendy.

My parents were fairly frugal and saved for retirement. They lived in their relatively modest starter home until they retired to a condo in Laguna. They drove Honda Accords or the equivalent but paid cash for cars. They did have enough money  to enable my brother and I to go through grad school without student loans (albeit at relatively inexpensive state universities) and helped with a portion of the down payments for our first homes.

I never heard them speak of "generational wealth" as their primary goal was being able to retire comfortably and not be a burden on their kids.

Ironically they did retire with a relatively large estate but I think it was a shock to them as they never thought they would accumulate "wealth" nor was it a specific goal. I remember my father being amazed when he was looking at his brokerage account and I happened to be there. I never knew exactly how much they had until I became a Trustee of the Intervivos Trust after my mother died and was very thankful that they had accumulated enough in assets so that he could afford a very comfortable life even after he wasn't able to be fully independent - he died at 99 with no financial worries.

“Generational wealth” is a new term for me, but I interpreted it in her case to be able to support herself, purchase her own home, and provide for family in the same way you describe your parents did.   I didn’t catch that she was currently living with her mom in a subsidized rental apartment.  This purchase is a big deal.  Proud of and happy for her.

As for her name, she can’t help it unless she changes it. As for the “influencer,” I’m with you!!!  But I am old and don’t understand how one makes money being an “influencer.”  lol.  😁

[CrazyInAlabama]

7 hours ago, Thumper said:

“Generational wealth” is a new term for me, but I interpreted it in her case to be able to support herself, purchase her own home, and provide for family in the same way you describe your parents did.   I didn’t catch that she was currently living with her mom in a subsidized rental apartment.  This purchase is a big deal.  Proud of and happy for her.

As for her name, she can’t help it unless she changes it. As for the “influencer,” I’m with you!!!  But I am old and don’t understand how one makes money being an “influencer.”  lol.  😁

My guess is Princesse was only on this show for getting more followers on her social media.  

Some other shows (50/50 flip in Burlington, NC) generational wealth is accumulating rental properties, and buying more with the income, and building an empire to leave to the children, or other heirs. 

Unfortunately, I know someone with only one adult child, he has 10 or more rental properties, and will leave them to the child.   The first thing the heir will do is get them transferred to their name, and call the realtor to issue the eviction notices, and put them for sale.  Just because you want to be a landlord doesn't mean your heirs do. 

I started to watch the Reno episode, and turned it off.   

Edited July 1, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[rhofmovalley]

5 minutes ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

My guess is Princesse was only on this show for getting more followers on her social media.  

Some other shows (50/50 flip in Burlington, NC) generational wealth is accumulating rental properties, and buying more with the income, and building an empire to leave to the children, or other heirs.  Unfortunately, I know someone with only one adult child, he has 10 or more rental properties, and will leave them to the child.   The first thing the heir will do is get them transferred to their name, and call the realtor to issue the eviction notices, and put them for sale.  Just because you want to be a landlord doesn't mean your heir do. 

I started to watch the Reno episode, and turned it off.   

I used to live in an apartment building where the owner "sold" the property to her adult children. They promptly raised everyone's rent, stopped maintaining the common areas, pool and landscaping, converted the maintenance supply room into an additional apartment and began renting the one bedroom units to immigrant families of six to eight people. All of the long term tenants moved out. Oh, and they charged those immigrant families exorbitant rent, taking advantage of their inability to qualify for more appropriate housing. So basically, her kids were slumlords.

I only half watched the episode but I presume since she is going to be living there she will maintain the property well.

[BAForever]

Have heard "generational wealth" several times in HH in the past few months, and always with an African-American Hunter. Am I reading too much in to what it means? Does it mean leaving your heirs enough money not to need to work? My parents' goal was to send kids to college so they could have the best chance for a comfortable life. That's my goal too. Color me confused.

Edited June 30, 2022 by BAForever

[snarts]

Newark, NJ: While I've no desire to be a landlord, I can appreciate those who are willing to share walls for the benefit of an income stream.  What often irks me is that, in their attempt to show how the rent would offset her mortgage, they completely left off real estate taxes on a $730k property. In New Jersey, they would be substantial. 

Princesse also did not strike me as being extremely handy, so the cost to maintain the property would be higher since it's unlikely she would do any of it herself and would have to pay contractors for everything, including lawn maintenance and snow removal. 

I do like seeing HH in different situations, income levels, areas, etc. I don't recall any previous episodes in Newark, so that was a nice change.

[deirdra]

19 hours ago, Thumper said:

I don’t understand the appeal of a claw-foot tub, especially if you try to put a shower with it.  They seem to have a shower curtain all around them which would make me feel claustrophobic.

It really gets claustrophobic if there is any air movement and the shower curtain blows in toward you and sticks to your body.  Now matter how careful you are it is nearly impossible not to get water on the floor, so you have to mop up after every shower.

[Empress1]

8 hours ago, amarante said:

And what a name - to saddle a kid with that name and have to use it on resumes or be introduced in professional settings. It is bad enough when a celebrity like Michael Jackson or the Kardashians use ridiculous names like Prince or Saint but at least those kids are never going to send out a resume for a job in a profession where your credibility is being judged.

I know an HR manager named Princess, funnily enough.

51 minutes ago, BAForever said:

Have heard "generational wealth" several times in HH in the past few months, and always with an African-American Hunter. Am I reading too much in to what it means? Does it mean leaving your heirs enough money not to need to work? My parents' goal was to send kids to college so they could have the best chance for a comfortable life. That's my goal too. Color me confused.

It doesn’t mean “enough not to work again,” although it CAN. Often when Black people say it, it’s because Black people as a whole have systemically been denied the opportunity to build wealth of any kind in this country (like, to leave your heirs literally any money when you die) so it tends to be important to those who CAN do so, TO do so, especially those who are the first generation in a position to do so. White families are much more likely to be able to pass down money and/or assets when they die than families of color, especially Black families. The word “wealth” here doesn’t mean “fuck you money,” just like “estate” doesn’t mean, like, gated compound. It just means positioning future generations to do better financially. 

I’m watching an episode with rock climbers in Reno and the guy has, like “supersonic warp speed” tattooed on his chest and I’m cool with tattoos but that one is silly.

The house I grew up in had a claw foot tub in the bathroom my sibling and I shared, but it also had a separate shower. I think I was the only person who used the tub - I like baths. Wouldn’t live somewhere without a tub.

Edited June 30, 2022 by Empress1

[deirdra]

2 minutes ago, Empress1 said:

I’m watching an episode with rock climbers in Reno and the guy has, like “supersonic warp speed” tattooed on his chest and I’m cool with tattoos but that one is silly.

It will be ironic when he is 90 and using a walker at the pool

[Empress1]

I do like that the Reno couple is excited about 1000-1200 square feet. They’re not looking for 3000 square feet for the two of them - they’re calling 1200 square feet “huge.” They were coming from a 250-square-foot studio so it probably did feel huge to them.

[StatisticalOutlier]

52 minutes ago, BAForever said:

Have heard "generational wealth" several times in HH in the past few months, and always with an African-American Hunter. Am I reading too much in to what it means? Does it mean leaving your heirs enough money not to need to work?

What @Empress1 said, above, plus the effects of the GI Bill after WW II. 

The GI Bill offered low-cost mortgages, with the intention of veterans buying houses and having the value of the houses go up over time, creating wealth.  (And even today, a house is still the most common generational wealth asset.)  It really was a solid thing for the government to do for the benefit of veterans.  In theory.

But Blacks weren't able to take advantage of this benefit in the numbers whites were because banks weren't offering mortgages in Black neighborhoods (redlining).  They were offering mortgages in the new suburbs, but many of those suburbs weren't an option for Blacks, whether because of deed restrictions, or regular old racism if a Black family moved into a white neighborhood.

A huge number of white veterans used the GI Bill to buy houses to live in, with the house's value appreciating over time, and then leave the appreciated asset to their children.  Blacks, meanwhile, were paying rent (also known on HH as "throwing your money away every month").

(As an aside, the other big benefit of the GI Bill was paying for college, but in the South, Blacks couldn't go to segregated white colleges, and there were way too many Black veterans for the HBCUs to admit, and therefore many Blacks in the South were unable to use the GI Bill's college benefits.)

I find it to be a dismal and actually embarrassing history, but even so, am getting tired of hearing "generational wealth" constantly on HH.  Just buy your damn house, like everybody else does.

[BAForever]

33 minutes ago, Empress1 said:

I know an HR manager named Princess, funnily enough.

It doesn’t mean “enough not to work again,” although it CAN. Often when Black people say it, it’s because Black people as a whole have systemically been denied the opportunity to build wealth of any kind in this country (like, to leave your heirs literally any money when you die) so it tends to be important to those who CAN do so, TO do so, especially those who are the first generation in a position to do so. White families are much more likely to be able to pass down money and/or assets when they die than families of color, especially Black families. The word “wealth” here doesn’t mean “fuck you money,” just like “estate” doesn’t mean, like, gated compound. It just means positioning future generations to do better financially. 

Thanks Empress, that's kind of what I thought. So it's more of maybe leaving a nest egg than a huge legacy. Makes sense. 

[Hedgehog2022]

47 minutes ago, deirdra said:

It will be ironic when he is 90 and using a walker at the pool

That guy looked like he was ADHD...WOW...he was just really out there! Good thing he's with someone who is more grounded and calm. 

[Empress1]

4 minutes ago, BAForever said:

Thanks Empress, that's kind of what I thought. So it's more of maybe leaving a nest egg than a huge legacy. Makes sense. 

I mean, if you go back not-very-far in most Black peoples’ history, you find slavery, so obviously there’s no wealth there. I’m fairly sure my grandparents were the first generation to leave any assets to the next generation, my parents and uncle, which they were able to do by getting steady jobs with good benefits and pensions (imagine that! Literally no one I know my age, older millennial, has a job that offers a pension) and buying homes, and positioning their kids, my parents, well, and so on down the line. It’s a thing a lot of people take for granted, but for a lot of Black people it hasn’t been possible at all and if it has been, it’s fairly recent. (There’s a lot of talk among my generation and younger that we’re the first generation not to do better than our parents, for a lot of societal & economic reasons.)

4 minutes ago, Hedgehog2022 said:

That guy looked like he was ADHD...WOW...he was just really out there! Good thing he's with someone who is more grounded and calm. 

She had a really flat affect. Definitely the more chill of the two.

[Grrarrggh]

53 minutes ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

I find it to be a dismal and actually embarrassing history, but even so, am getting tired of hearing "generational wealth" constantly on HH.  Just buy your damn house, like everybody else does.

But unfortunately even in 2022 Blacks don't get to be like everybody else, especially when it comes to money and housing.

[CrazyInAlabama]

Washougal, Washington.  He's a realtor, who has to have a single floor because of bad knees, and she wants to spend a lot more, and get a bigger house.  He wants to keep and rent out the present house as the start of their real estate portfolio, she wants to sell the current house to put that money into the dream house, and build the portfolio later.  

House 1-two story, 4 bed, nice house. very updated.  Too far away from her parents for the wife., and a lot of stairs for the husband.  My knees ache just looking at those stairs.   On 6 acres.  

House 2-ranch on 4 acres, not huge, with that price and the acreage they could easily add a master suite, and add a dining room, with expanding the kitchen into the second living room and making a bigger kitchen.  

House 3-a new build, pocket listing, very expensive, and I bet the wife will love it.  $1.2 million, a few stairs but only to the bonus room over the garage, over 3200 sq ft, close to her parents.   nice open floor plan, beautiful kitchen, dining and living room.   She's saying since they're a dual income couple, they can afford it, on over 6.3 acres. finishes are all high end, with heated floors in the main en suite.  bonus room has a 3/4 bath. except for the bonus room everything else is on one level.   split floor plan with 2 bedrooms for the kids, 

If they wanted to, they could use the bonus room with the full bath, and all of that room, and set one dormer up as a bedroom.   

My guess is #3, sell or rent out the current house.   They pick #3

Edited July 1, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama